Volatile
by RogueShadowCrawler
Summary: For lotussunset's Sokkla Summer. Seven Sokka/Azula snippets, not following any particular timeline. Rated T for safety.
1. Burning

Here, have some cheese! (No, seriously, they're so sappy it's kind of gross. That was _them_, I might add, not me.) Reviews are appreciated. Apologies if either of them are OOC - Azula's voice is not easy to pin down, and even less so once she's been reformed.

(The title "Volatile" really has nothing to do with anything, except that I think it's a good word to describe them as a couple.)

**Burning**

Heat was not one of Sokka's favorite things.

He had grown up in a frozen world, where "warmth" was merely something you needed to survive. But Sokka was happier in the cold. The idea of living in a place that was hot all the time was not only unappealing to him, it was almost unbearable.

So when the group reached the Fire Nation just as summer was beginning, Sokka wanted to leave almost immediately. The heat hit him like a brick wall, and he began to crave the icy winds of home.

He couldn't imagine ever wanting to _live _there.

His mindset changed very quickly.

Five years later, he stood on a balcony jutting out from the side of the Fire Nation palace, watching the blazing sun slip below the horizon. "'Zula?" he murmured to the elegant golden-eyed woman in his arms.

"Yes?"

"I'm glad we stayed here for the summer."

She turned a bit and stroked his jaw, managing to make the action both tender and sensual. "I'm glad I finally managed to convince you of the superiority of Fire Nation summers."

"Yeah, but we're heading back to _my_ home in a few months," teased Sokka. "The heat gets to me after a while."

Smirking, Azula nuzzled his neck and purred, "Well, I'm sorry the Fire Nation is not of your taste."

"Well, parts of it are," said Sokka with a grin, reaching down to kiss her playfully. "Like you."


	2. Dork

This one requires a bit of explanation. You see, I have a theory that Sokka's goofiness, as much as it is a part of him, is also something of a façade. We've all seen how intelligent he is, and he's the Idea Guy of the Gaang. I thought, perhaps he _likes _to be written off as a goofball, because it makes him look like less of a threat and then he can surprise everyone. I thought, wouldn't it be interesting if Azula also happened to get an idea like this? This is also my way of rationalizing this pairing, because let's face it, this is pretty much the crackiest Avatar pairing you can get without getting OOC.

Also, Azula's mind is a scary place to be. Even scarier is that I seem to be able to _get into _her mind.

Disclaimer: Sokka and Azula aren't mine, they're Bryke's. (Not Viacom's, because I hate Viacom.) I'll take Sokka, but they can keep Azula... Oh, but the unnamed intelligence scouts are mine because I don't think they were actually in canon, but it wouldn't surprise me, knowing Azula.

**Dork**

Sokka had never really been able to leave a good first impression on people. Either his brass attitude got him into trouble or he ended up injured somehow while trying to impress them. But Azula had always been particularly interested in this Water Tribe peasant. Intelligence scouts had brought her detailed descriptions of the Water Tribe siblings traveling with the Avatar: Katara, the waterbender, and her brother Sokka. Azula was not particularly concerned with the girl; she was powerful, but nothing to a firebending prodigy like the princess.

Her brother, though – he was interesting. According to the scouts, he had a critical mind and seemed to be the tactician of the group. Yet he was also an idiot – a bumbling fool who, it seemed, had trouble putting one foot in front of the other sometimes.

Or was he?

Azula found this behavior fascinating. Obviously this Sokka was far more intelligent than he let on; perhaps his own sister didn't know the depths of his cunning mind. In fact, at his best moments he reminded Azula a bit of herself. She stopped to think about that for a moment. How odd that a culture so different from her people and so…_primitive_ could produce someone with a mind so clever, so calculating, so…attractive?

This surprised Azula. She'd never given much thought to the subject of romantic relationships. What was the point? Father would probably just ship her off to some nobleman's son when she came of age. Anyhow, attachments of any kind were silly and only got in the way. Look at what happened to her mother when she'd tried to protect Zuko – she'd never been heard from again. And it served her right, thought Azula, for getting in the way of Father's ambitions. A husband, children, it all just hindered you in the end. What man could keep up with her? All of the males she'd met in the Fire Nation were too pathetically simple-minded and meek, not at all like her father.

But someone like Sokka, someone who schemed and plotted and hid his true nature from the world…someone like that made her reconsider her stance on relationships.


	3. Fireworks

This is horrendously late; the prompt was supposed to be for July 4, but my muse failed to produce inspiration until this morning. (I have sent her to her room without desert.) The good news is, I have an idea of what I'm doing with all this, and I've figured out that all these drabbles are more or less connected, though out of order because of the order of the prompts. I'll probably post the actual chronological order at the very end, just to annoy everyone. Not sure how in-character everyone is in this one, but pregnant!Azula probably gets a pass. And I love Suki and I feel horrible doing this to her, but I know she'll survive.

Also, I knew I rated this thing T for a reason. But they're married, so whatever. A smidge of Kataang ahead as well. Why? Because.

Disclaimer: None of this is mine. I'm just playing with them for a while. (Wait, I lied, the baby's mine. He'll show up again later.)

**Fireworks**

It was Fire Lady Mai's birthday, and a celebratory fireworks display had been commissioned. Unfortunately for the people inside the palace, the yelling drowned most of them out.

"You idiot! How could you let this happen?"

"It's not like _I_ had any idea she was going to be here!"

"That's just what you _want _me to think! You still love her, don't you? You're probably planning to sneak off with her later and leave me here to raise your half-breed!"

"'Zula, c'mon, just listen to me, this is the hormones talking…"

"Why should I? Lying scum like you…"

"_Me? _Azula, _you're _the one who…"

Katara groaned and buried her head in Aang's robe, trying unsuccessfully to block out the noise. Her brother and Azula arguing was not out of the ordinary, particularly since Azula's pregnancy was making her emotionally unstable, but it wasn't usually this _loud._

In an attempt to comfort his fiancée, Aang put his arms around her. "What is it this time?" he sighed, shaking his head.

"Apparently Azula doesn't feel comfortable with Suki being here," muttered Katara, "even though Suki is one of Mai's good friends. There's no reason she _shouldn't_ celebrate Mai's birthday, even if she and Sokka were once together."

After the war, Azula had been placed in a high-security mental asylum. Though most of the group remained in the Fire Nation to help Fire Lord Zuko deal with the remaining political and diplomatic issues, Sokka had been the only one willing to visit her. He had brought her small gifts, often food, and talked to her in attempts to bring her back to herself. Eventually a change had come over her; she'd become calm and rational, more like she once had been, and she'd been allowed out for short periods of time in an attempt to reintegrate her into society. For some reason during those outings, she would allow no one but Sokka to accompany her.

Suki hadn't liked this at all. "Lest you forget," she snapped at Sokka, "she and her posse attacked my girls, stole our uniforms, and threw us all in prison!" Their relationship had become more and more strained as Sokka's trips with Azula became more and more frequent and finally one night Suki had said, "I can't take this any more. I'm going home. Please don't follow me."

Shortly after that, Azula and Sokka's engagement and marriage became one of the most controversial in Fire Nation history. The announcement that the Princess was pregnant soon after the wedding didn't help matters.

Katara rolled her eyes. "I understand that Suki and Azula never got along and I can certainly see why, but I think she's blowing this a little out of proportion."

"Well, I also think Sokka has a point – Azula's been acting more crazy than usual these last few months," replied Aang with a playful grin.

Chuckling, Katara nodded. "Who knew having a baby made you irrational and paranoid?"

Then she noticed something. "Aang…do you hear that?"

"What?"

"The yelling's stopped."

They looked at each other, eyes wide, then crept quietly to the room where the yelling had been coming from. The door was slightly ajar and the only noises coming from it was heavy breathing. Azula's voice mumbled, "Sokka…"

Backing away from the room, Katara shot Aang a mischievous grin. "Well, I guess they worked everything out. Let's go watch some fireworks."


	4. Jasmine

I really sort of hate the way I chose to write this part of the series, the "he"/"she" format. It works for them, but by golly is it hard! That would also explain why this one's quite short, although I like to think it fits this first one. (In case it's not clear, Sokka is visiting Azula in the mental asylum. There are two more parts to this.)

Disclaimer: I'd like a Sokka, but unfortunately neither he nor Azula are mine.

**Jasmine – Visiting Hours part 1**

He brings her a peace offering: a cup of tea. "I didn't know what you like," he says apologetically, offering it to her through the bars. "So I brought jasmine. Your uncle said it would help calm you."

She ignores it, and looks at him, narrowing her eyes. "Why are you here?"

He doesn't answer, merely setting the cup on the floor of her cell and commenting, "He's doing fine, in case you're wondering. Your uncle, I mean."

She snorts. "Why should I care about _him? _The old fool was a traitor to his entire nation and to his own family. He and Zuko – they mean nothing to me."

He nods, as one does to indicate interest in a conversation and keep it going. "So you don't really have any family anymore, do you? I mean, not that you'll acknowledge."

She stiffens and asks, "What do you mean?"

He continues. "You've practically disowned Zuko and Iroh, your mother is gone, and your father is…"

She glares at him, her piercing golden eyes hawk-like. A silent dare to finish his sentence.

He sees that and quickly rewords what he had been thinking. "…out of the picture. You're all alone. That's kind of sad."

She doesn't move, except for a barely perceptible twitch of her left eye. "How is this any of your concern?"

He shrugs. "It's not. I just think it's pretty sad, you being here with no one missing you at all."

She rolls her eyes. "Like I believe that. Zuko sent you here, didn't he? He wanted to make sure I was rotting away in here, out of his way."

He freezes for a second, then looks right into her eyes and replies, "No. I came here of my own accord. I don't think Zuko even knows I'm here."

She returns his stare and sees that, whatever his actual motives are, he is telling the truth. He has chosen to be here. She thinks, _Why would _you_ come here to see _me? and begins to voice the question, but something stops her.

He turns, seeing he will get nothing more out of her. "Look, this has been fun and all, but I've got to get back before they miss me." At the door, he looks back once more. The tea, along with her, has disappeared into the shadows.


	5. Cake

**Cake – Visiting Hours part 2**

He comes again, with another gift. "Zuko said today's your birthday, so I brought you these."

She stands at the door of her cell this time, cautious but interested in the plate of mooncakes. "My brother told you that?"

He avoids her eyes. "Well, I overheard him telling Mai about it and…anyway, here." He pushes it through the little door at the bottom of the cell.

She picks it up. Her gaze drifts to her face, caution in it. "How do I know these are…safe?"

He looks right at her and says, "I didn't do anything to those cakes. All I can give you is my word, so if you don't believe me that's your choice, but I swear they're clean."

She inspects the cake she's holding thoroughly before taking a tiny bite out of it. While chewing it, she nods slightly but says nothing.

He smirks and says, "Not bad, huh? Your uncle gave me the recipe." Like a child, he waits almost hopefully for her approval.

She finishes it and grabs another, almost greedily. Aside from a slight crinkle in her brow, she does not react to the mention of Iroh.

He waits until she finishes the cakes, then takes the empty plate she pushes out. All is quiet for a moment; then he asks, "How are you being treated here? You were awfully eager for those cakes. Don't they feed you enough?"

She narrows her eyes. "I'm fine. Bored beyond reason, but fine. You're the only one that comes to visit, you know. Why do you bother?"

He shrugs. "I told you before, I feel bad for you. Beyond that, I don't really know why."

She seems to think that over for a minute, then says, "Thank you."

He starts, not believing his ears for a moment. Finally composing himself, he answers, "You're, uh, you're welcome." He waits, but she does not speak again, and he gives up and leaves, but not feeling defeated as he had before.


	6. Ribbon

**Ribbon – Visiting Hours part 3**

He coughs, suddenly awkward. "Hello, Sokka here."

She paces back and forth behind the bars, shooting him a look that clearly says, _Idiot. _"I figured. Who else comes in here to babble inanely at me?"

He ignores that jab and instead says, "Here, I brought this for you." Something long and thin slips through the bars and falls at her feet.

She looks down, confused, and picks it up. "What _is_ this?"

He replies, "Zuko found it while some of the servants were cleaning out the nursery. He said it was yours."

She has turned her face away and takes a moment to respond. "Yes, it is."

He senses there is more to it. "It doesn't seem like something you'd wear. I mean, it's _pink._ I'd think that would be more Ty Lee's style…"

She winces noticeably, and her head jerks up. Then she snaps, "Leave me."

He does not. He just stands there, silent, waiting.

She turns away, and memories flood over her. A little dark-haired girl in red, sitting alone in the courtyard and holding a tiny blue flame in her hands…another girl, in pink, cartwheeling up to her and introducing herself as Ty Lee…the new girl giving her a friendly hug and untying the pink ribbon in her hair, saying, "We're going to be best friends forever!" But she pushes them away, and chokes back a sudden sob.

He decides not to comment on her sudden silence. Instead he decides to revert to "babbling inanely" as she'd mentioned earlier. "You know, Mai's pregnant."

She finally looks up at him, his statement having disgusted her enough to require a reaction. "You honestly think I _want _to hear about the spawn of my useless brother and that traitor? I don't want anything to do with them! They betrayed me! I…I…" Her voice breaks, and she retreats to the far corner of her cell.

He pretends not to hear the very quiet sobs coming from the corner, and instead decides it is time for him to leave.


	7. Birthday

Um. This is in-character, mostly, I hope. I don't really know how this happened. Curse my embarrassing affinity for babyfic!

**Birthday**

"So what kind of bender do you think he'll be?"

Azula looked up from gazing at their tiny son. "Sokka, he's only three days old. I think it'll be a while before we can tell."

"True." Reaching into the basinet, Sokka carefully picked up Zakku and cuddled him a little. Azula, while she did love her son, was not an especially affectionate person, so Sokka was determined to make up for it. "I just think it'd be neat to have a waterbending son, that's all."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Yes, that would certainly go over well, wouldn't it? The firstborn of Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, a waterbender."

"If you were really worried about that, you wouldn't have married me," he replied playfully.

Nodding, she replied, "Touché," and reached out to take the baby from him. The entire nation had been shocked when Azula had publicly announced her engagement, not that she'd cared. She'd cared even less when the announcement of her pregnancy just three months after their wedding had caused another uproar.

Zakku's skin was as dark as his father's, but his pale gold eyes and black hair plainly declared who his mother was. Since the royal family had a history of pale skin, there was some grumbling, but no one dared to talk about it within earshot of the Princess or her consort. After all, an heir was an heir regardless of his paternity.

"Great birthday present, isn't he?"

"Well, I definitely could've done without the pain and the screaming. So humiliating. But all things considered…" Azula planted a light kiss on her son's forehead. "I suppose he was worth it."


End file.
